Toe iron for safety ski bindings

ABSTRACT

Two soleholders are pivoted on vertical axes to a common carrier and laterally engage the toe portion of the skiing boot above the sole. The soleholders are normally locked against a pivotal movement. The carrier is mounted for pivotal movement against spring force on a toe iron part that is fixed to the ski. The carrier has for each soleholder a deflection-preventing means, which can be automatically disabled after a predetermined movement of the carrying member from its central position into the corresponding direction.

aterit lllmnnes Marker;

Albert Gustav Oehlmann, both 01 Garmiaeh-lPartenlril-chen, Germany760,061

Sept. 19. 119

Sept. 7, 1971 said Marines Marker, by mild Uehlmn Sept. 20, 19157 Genny[72] Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority TOE WON FORSAlFll-ITY S1111 lBllNlDllNGS 11 Claims, 7 Drawing 111w.

. 280/1135 H, 11.35 LB, 11.35, 1135 AA, 11.35 A, 11.35 AB [56] RelelrenmCited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,194,574 7/1965 Beyl 280/1135 HA 3,396,9878/1968 Zimmerman 280/1 1.35 HA 3,455,570 7/1969 Salomon 280/11.35 HA3,107,102 10/1963 Ramillion 280/11.35 HA FOREIGN PATENTS 1,126,94812/1956 France 280/11.35 LB 1,290,975 3/1962 France 280/11.35 HA PrimaryExaminer- Benjamin Hersh Assistant ExaminerMilt0n L. SmithAttorney-Fleit, Gipple & Jacobson ABSTRACT: Two soleholders are pivotedon vertical axes to a common carrier and laterally engage the toeportion of the skiing boot above the sole. The soleholders are normallylocked against a pivotal movement. The carrier is mounted for pivotalmovement against spring force on a toe iron part that is fixed to theski. The carrier has for each soleholder a deflection-preventing means,which can be automatically disabled after a predetermined movement ofthe carrying member from its central position into the correspondingdirection.

TOE IRON FOR SAFETY SKI lEllll' llDHhlGS The present invention relatesto toe irons for safety ski bindings, which toe irons comprise twosoleholders, which are pivoted on vertical axes to a common carrier andlaterally engage the toe portion of the skiing boot above the sole andare normally locked against a pivotal movement therefore. The carrier ismounted for pivotal movement against spring force about a vertical pivotpin on a toe iron part that is fixed to the ski.

Compared to the toe irons which have a ball detent and in which apivoted soleholder carrier is locked relatively to a part that is fixedto the ski, such known toe irons have the advantage that they do notpresent a rigid resistance to forces which act obliquely or transverselyto the longitudinal direction of the ski, but resiliently take up theforces. On the other hand, they have disadvantages which are undesirablein a safety toe iron intended for modern skiing. The main disadvantageresides in that they do not positively and suddenly release the toeportion of the skiing boot at the end of a sufficiently large elasticzone. In various types of toe irons, the skiing boot must actuallysqueeze out of the toe iron and past the soleholder. As a result, thefriction is high and the force required for a release cannot becontrolled or exactly adjusted. There is always a risk of the skiingboot being blocked in the toe iron; in this case the skiing boot is notreturned to its normal position unless it is released so that a fall isinevitable.

For this reason it is an object of the present invention to provide aremedy in this respect and to improve and design a toe iron of the kindfirst described so that the disadvantages of the known toe irons areavoided in a simple and reliable manner, more particularly, that the toeiron has an exactly defined release position on both sides.

This object is accomplished in a toe iron for safety ski bindings, whichtoe iron comprises two soleholders, which are pivoted on vertical axesto a common carrier and laterally engage the toe portion of the skiingboot above the sole and are normally locked against a pivotal movementwhereas the carrier is mounted for pivotal movement against spring forceon a toe iron part that is fixed to the ski. In the invention thecarrier has for each soleholder a deflection-preventing means, which canbe automatically disabled after a predetermined move ment of thecarrying member from its central position into the correspondingdirection. When the deflection-preventing means has been disabled, thesoleholder can continue its pivotal movement alone and in doing so neednot overcome the progressively increasing force of the damping springacting on the carrier, but only the force of an optional weak restoringspring. The carrier is relieved and under the influence of the dampingspring is returned to its normal position at the time when the meanswhich prevent a deflection of the soleholder are disabled.

For this reason it has been found desirable to provide a design in whichthe points where the means for preventing a deflection of thesoleholders are disabled coincide with the end points of the range ofthepivotal movement of the carrier.

In order to ensure a satisfactory function of the toe iron in asufficiently large elastic range, the soleholders must not extendrearwardly beyond a certain extent, toward the rear end of the ski, sothat they cannot provide for the toe portion of the skiing boot thelateral control which is required for crosscountry skiing.

In a development of the invention, the soleholders may be longer becausethe two means for preventing a deflection of the soleholders areconnected to the carrier by a common pivoted plate. The pivoted plate ispreferably pivoted to the free end of the carrier by means of a verticalpivot pin and extends toward the pivot pin which mounts the carrier. Asa result, the pivotal axis of the pivoted plate is as close as possibleto the toe portion of the skiing boot so that the blocking of the skiingboot during movements that are transverse to the longitudinal directionof the ski is virtually avoided with safety even where long soleholdersare used which enable crosscountry skiing.

Each means for preventing a defection of a soleholder comprises suitablya locking pin, a locking lever, which is mounted on the soleholder for apivotal movement against spring force, and a stop which is fixed to theski and engageable by the locking lever. It has been found that thelocking levers of both means for preventing a deflection of thesoleholders are desirably under the action of a single spring element.

Further details of the invention will become apparent from thesubsequent detailed description of various embodiments of toe irons withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a central longitudinal sectional view showing a toe ironaccording to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line II-II through thetoe iron of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 3 and i show respective halves of the toe iron in different phasesof the release movement in the same view as in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken through a toe ironaccording to a second embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line VlVI through the toeiron of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing a third embodiment of a toe iron withthe top cover cut away for a better representation of the parts whichare essential for the invention.

FIGS. ii to i show a toe iron for safety ski bindings. This toe ironcomprises a baseplate l, which is secured by screws 2 to a ski 3 andcarries a vertical pivot pin 4, on which a carrier 5 is pivotallymounted. A disc ti is screw-connected to the pivot pin to hold thecarrier against axial displacement. The carrier is pivotally movablefrom its normal position toward both sides against the force of ahelical compression spring 7, which is prestressed as required. Thispivotal movement is limited by two stop pins ti, 9, which are providedon the baseplate ll and extend into slots lltl, lll ofthe carrier.

soleholders ltd, l5 are pivoted to the carrier 5 about vertical axes i2,13. Each soleholder has a holding part proper consisting ofa wing in orN. These wings laterally engage the toe portion of the skiing boot abovethe sole. For adaptation to boots having different widths, the wings areadjustably secured to the soleholders l4, 15 by means which are notdescribed in detail because they are known.

According to the present invention, a locking lever 20 or 21 is pivotedto each soleholder M or 15 on a vertical axis it or 19. The locking noseof each locking lever embraces a locking pin 22 or 23, which is providedon the carrier 5. The locking levers are two armed. Those arms whichhave no locking nose are under the action of a helical tension spring24', which attempts to hold the locking levers in their lockingposition. The arrangement of the locking levers is such that their nosedirectly engages the corresponding stop pin 3 or 9 immediate ly beforethe limiting position is reached so that the locking lever is pivotallymoved against the relatively small force of the spring 24 and thelocking lever is thus disengaged from the respective locking pin 22 or23 so that the respective soleholder M or 115, which is normally lockedagainst a pivotal movement relative to the carrying member 5, canperform such outward pivotal movement against the force of the springThe prestressed helical compression spring 7 bears at both ends on a lugof the baseplate l and on the carrier 5 so that the latter is normallyheld in its central position shown in FIG. 2. If the wing 57 of thesoleholder l5, e.g., is subjected to a force which is transverse to thelongitudinal direction of the ski and exceeds the opposing force of theprestressed helical compres' sion spring '7, said force causes a pivotalmovement of the carrier in a downward direction in FIG. 2. When theforce decreases, the helical compression spring 7 causes a return of thecarrying member 5 to its central position. Owing to thedeflection-preventing means according to the invention, the soleholderhas not moved relative to the carrier 5 during the outward and returnpivotal movements. If a large force, which endangers the leg of theskier, engages the wing 17 of the carrier if), the carrier 15 isinitially swung downwardly again, as is shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 showsthe instantaneous state in which the locking lever 2! just contacts thestop pin 9. A small further pivotal movement of the carrier 5 effects apivotal movement of the locking lever about the axis l9 against theforce of the return spring 24 so that the nose of the locking lever isdisengaged from the locking pin 23. Thereafter, the soleholder canperform a virtually unhindered outward pivotal movement, which isopposed only by the force of the spring 24, whereas the carrier 5returns to its normal position under the action of the spring 7. Theoutward pivotal movement of the soleholder 15 ensures the virtuallysudden release of the skiing boot at the end of the damping range. Whenthe skiing boot has been released, the soleholder is returned to itsinitial position under the force of the spring 24 and is locked at thesame time relative to the carrier. FIG. 4 shows the toe iron at the timewhen the skiing boot is released because the carrier 5 has returned toits central position.

The force by which the skiing boot is urged against the toe iron doesnot exceed the force which is required for a reliable control of theski. Besides, the release position is exactly defined on both sides.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a toe iron which substantially corresponds to thedesign which has been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. For thisreason, the same reference characters are used for like parts. Contraryto the embodiment which has been described before, this embodimentenables an adjustment of the force required for a release. The baseplatecarries also a pivot pin 4 and forms a part of a guiding member 30,which is secured to the ski 3. A carrier 31 is pivoted to the pivot pin4 and is held by the disc 6 against axial displacement. The carrier hasa forked portion extending toward the tip of the ski. The insides of thetwo fork prongs 32, 33 are parallel to each other and serve as springabutments for a helical compression spring 34, which extendstransversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski through a bore ina bearing bracket 35, which is displaceably mounted in the guidingmember 30 in the longitudinal direction of the ski. It carries anonrotatable bolt 36, which is threaded into a tapped bushing 37. Thelatter carries an actuating handle 38 and is rotatably and axiallynondisplaceably mounted in a cover 39. The sidewalls of the guidingmember 30 form also abutments for the helical compression spring 34.Each sidewall is provided with a horizontal slot 40 or 41, whichreceives one of the fork prongs 32 or 33 of the carrierfThe distancebetween the sidewalls equals the distance between the fork prongs. Aslot 42 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the ski is formedin the upper wall of the guiding member 30 and receives a pin 43, whichis firmly connected to the bearing bracket 35 so that the position ofthe spring in the guiding member is apparent. A scale for indicating theadjusted force which is required for a release is provided on one sideof the slot in known manner, not shown. In the position shown in thedrawing, the smallest force is required for a release because the springhas the smallest possible distance from the pivot pin 4. This distancecan be increased by an actuation of the handle 38 so as to increase theforce required for a release.

The deflection-preventing means for the soleholders correspond to thosewhich are described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. Because the toe ironcorresponds also in function to the one which has been previouslydescribed, that description is not repeated.

The Wings l6, 17 are mounted on the soleholders I4, 15 for adjustment inheight so as to enable an adaptation to soles which differ in thickness.For an upward and downward adjustment of the wings it is sufficient toturn their retaining screws 44 or 45. The same adjustment is alsopossible in the embodiment described first.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the toe iron according to theinvention. The same reference characters are again used for like parts.A baseplate 50 is secured to the ski 3 by screws 2. As in the embodimentdescribed first, the baseplate carries a vertical pivot pin 4, on whicha carrying member 51 is pivotally mounted, which at its free end carriesa vertical pivot pin 52, which extends upwardly. A pivoted plate 53 isfreely rotatably mounted on the pivot pin 52.

The soleholders I4, 15 are carried on vertical pivots l2, 13 by thepivoted plate. As a holding part proper, the soleholder 14 comprises awing 54 and the soleholder I5 a wing 55. These wings 54, 55 are longerthan the wings l6, 17 of the previously described embodiments so thatthey provide for the required lateral control of the toe portion of theskiing boot also during cross-country skiing. The locking pins 22, 23serve also to cooperate with the locking noses of the locking levers 20,21. In the present case, these locking pins are provided on the pivotedplate 53 rather than on the carrier. The deflectionpreventing means andwith them the soleholders are also under the action of a tension spring24. The pivotal movement of the carrier 51 is limited by two stop pins 8and 9 carried by the baseplate. Just as in the embodiments previouslydescribed, these stop pins serve to release the means which prevent adeflection of the soleholders. The carrying member is pivotally movedagainst a spring force, which just as in the other embodiments resultsin a decrease of the force and, when the deflection-preventing meanshave been released, a return movement of the carrier to its normalposition. As has been previously stated, the pivoted plate 53 is freelyrotatably mounted on the carrying member 51. On the other hand, thesoleholders are returned by the force of the spring 24 when the skiingboot has been released; the soleholders are locked relative to thepivoted plate at the same time. Because the pivotal axis of the pivotedplate is as close as possible to the toe portion of the skiing boot, theskiing boot cannot be blocked during the movement which is transverse tothe longitudinal direction of the ski. In all embodiments, the wings ofthe soleholders facilitate the stepping into the binding. The toeportion of the skiing boot is automatically centered in such a mannerthat the forward end of the sole finally engages the carrier in thefirst two embodiments and the pivoted plate in the latter embodiment.

What is claimed is:

I. A toe iron for safety ski bindings, comprising a carrier mounted forpivotal movement relative to a ski, spring means biasing said carrierduring pivotal movement of same tending to restore said carrier to itscentral position, two soleholders pivotally mounted to said carrier onvertical axes to engage laterally the toe portion of a skiing boot aboveits sole, lock means normally locking said soleholders against pivotalmovement, said lock means comprising a locking lever mounted on eachsoleholder and a locking pin mounted to the carrier; and means coactingwith said lock means for unlocking said lock means automatically after apredetermined pivotal movement of the carrier from its central positionagainst the force of said spring means.

2. A toe iron according t6 claim ll, wherein said means coacting withsaid lock means is located at the end points of the range of the pivotalmovement of the carrier.

3. A toe iron according to claim 1, wherein said locking means has alocking lever pivotally mounted on each soleholder, and spring meansbiasing said levers, and said means coacting with said lock meansincludes a fixed stop engageable by said locking levers.

4. A toe iron according to claim 3, wherein said spring means biasingsaid lockin g'levers consists of a single spring element.

5. A toe iron according to claim 1 wherein the torque which opposes themovement of the carrier is variable by a variation of the length of thelever and that means are provided for indicating the force required fora release.

6. A toe iron according to claim 5, wherein the carrier on the side ofits pivotal axis remote from the soleholders has a forked extension withthe inside surface of the two fork parts being parallel, said springmeans being held against the inside surfaces of the two fork parts whichserve as spring abutments, and means to displace the spring means alongsaid inside surfaces toward and away from the pivotal axis of saidcarrier.

7. A toe iron according to claim 6, wherein said spring means is ahelical compression spring and is carried in a hearing bracket, which isslidably mounted in a fixed member 8. A toe iron according to claim 7,wherein said means to displace said spring means includes a threadedbolt nonrotatably connected to a bearing bracket which is threadedreceived in a tapped bushing connected in turn with an actuating handle,said tapped bushing being rotatably and axially nondisplaceably mountedin said fixed memberi 9. A toe iron according to claim 6, furtherincluding a fixed member provided with horizontally slotted extensions,which underlies said forked extension of the carrier with the distancebetween the slotted extensions equal to the distance between the twofork parts and two fork parts received in the slots of said slottedextensions.

10. A toe iron for safety ski bindings, comprising a carrier mounted forpivotal movement relative to a ski, spring means biasing said carrierduring pivotal movement of same tending to restore said carrier to itscentral position. two soleholders pivotully mounted to said carrier onvertical X056 to engage laterally the toe portion of a skiing hoot uhuvelts mile, lock means normally locking suid aoleholders against pivotalmovement, said lock means and said soleholders being mounted on a platepivotally mounted to the carrier, means coacting with said lock meansfor unlocking said lock means automatically after a predeterminedpivotal movement of the carrier from its central position against theforce of said spring means.

11. A toe iron according to claim llt), wherein the carrier is anelongated body pivotally mounted at one end and the pivoted plate ispivoted to the other end of the carrier by means of a vertical pivotpin, said pivoted plate extending toward the pivotal axis which mountsthe carrier.

1. A toe iron for safety ski bindings, comprising a carrier mounted forpivotal movement relative to a ski, spring means biasing said carrierduring pivotal movement of same tending to restore said carrier to itscentral position, two soleholders pivotally mounted to said carrier onvertical axes to engage laterally the toe portion of a skiing boot aboveits sole, lock means normally locking said soleholders against pivotalmovement, said lock means comprising a locking lever mounted on eachsoleholder and a locking pin mounted to the carrier; and means coactingwith said lock means for unlocking said lock means automatically after apredetermined pivotal movement of the carrier from its central positionagainst the force of said spring means.
 2. A toe iron according t6 claim1, wherein said means coacting with said lock means is located at theend points of the range of the pivotal movement of the carrier.
 3. A toeiron according to claim 1, wherein said locking means has a lockinglever pivotally mounted on each soleholder, and spring means biasingsaid levers, and said means coacting with said lock means includes afixed stop engageable by said locking levers.
 4. A toe iron according toclaim 3, wherein said spring means biasing said locking levers consistsof a single spring element.
 5. A toe iron according to claim 1 whereinthe torque which opposes the movement of the carrier is variable by avariation of the length of the lever and that means are provided forindicating the force required for a release.
 6. A toe iron according toclaim 5, wherein the carrier on the side of its pivotal axis remote fromthe soleholders has a forked extension with the inside surface of thetwo fork parts being parallel, said spring means being held against theinside surfaces of the two fork parts which serve as spring abutments,and means to displace the spring means along said inside surfaces towardand away from the pivotal axis of said carrier.
 7. A toe iron accordingto claim 6, wherein said spring means is a helical compression springand is carried in a bearing bracket, which is slidably mounted in afixed member.
 8. A toe iron according to claim 7, wherein said means todisplace said spring means includes a threaded bolt nonrotatablyconnected to a bearing bracket which is threaded received in a tappedbushing connected in turn with an actuating handle, said tapped bushingbeing rotatably and axially nondisplaceably mounted in said fixedmember.
 9. A toe iron according to claim 6, further including a fixedmember provided with horizontally slotted extensions, which underliessaid forked extension of the carrier with the distance between theslotted extensions equal to the distance between the two fork parts andtwo fork parts received in the slots of said slotted extensions.
 10. Atoe iron for safety ski bindings, comprising a carrier mounted forpivotal movement relative to a ski, spring means biasing said carrierduring pivotal movement of same tending to restore said carrier to itscentral position, two soleholders pivotally mounted to said carrier onvertical axes to engage laterally the toe portion of a skiing boot aboveits sole, lock means normally locking said soleholders against pivotalmovement, said lock means and said soleholders being mounted on a platepivotally mounted to the carrier, means coacting with said lock meansfor unlocking said lock means automatically after a predeterminedpivotal movement of the carrier from its central position against theforce of said spring means.
 11. A toe iron according to claim 10,wherein the carrier is an elongated body pivotally mounted at one endand the pivoted plate Is pivoted to the other end of the carrier bymeans of a vertical pivot pin, said pivoted plate extending toward thepivotal axis which mounts the carrier.